The Girl with the Basket of Strawberries
by MockingCody
Summary: AU Oneshot Gale is an eight year old boy who loves spending time at the park with his friends, but when he notices a young blonde in a pretty dress with an empty basket, his attention starts to focus more on her. Gadge


**A/N: This is an AU there's no Hunger Games or District 13 rebellion, and District 12 isn't as bad. The Seam is still the poor side of town but they have hot water, and food and everything.  
For this fic, let's just say that Gale is the same age as Madge and Katniss.**

* * *

Gale Hawthorne loved being outside. He loved the thrill of running through the park with his friends, playing tag, hide and seek, or any other games that the group of friends make up as they run through the many turns of the playground nestled in the Seam of District 12. His mom Hazelle would always read a book on the park bench as her eight year old son ran and ran, while also keeping a parental ear open for any trouble.

It was a day like much before. Gale was excited that it was his turn to be the seeker, his favorite part about the game of hide and seek. He loved searching for his friends, it always reminded him of the times his late father had taken him hunting in search for animals—minus the guns of course.

Gale sneaked around, his gray eyes darting across the area, searching for any abnormal movement. He knew he probably wouldn't find Katniss, no one could ever find her. Thom was probably just hiding in the tube slide, and that didn't offer much of a challenge, so he settled on searching for Bristel.

Movement across the park caught his eye and he darted his small body in that direction, but skids to a halt when he realizes that it wasn't anyone he knew. No this girl definitely wasn't anyone he knew. In fact he was sure she didn't even live in the seam. Her long blonde hair swayed slightly as she calmly walked across the park towards the woodsy area in the distance. The eight year old couldn't help but stare at the young girl's light blue dress- the same color as her eyes he noted.

She seemed relaxed a small smile on her lips, she had light skin, in contrast to Gale's more dark skin. The girl carried an empty wicker basket. He stood still and watched her reach the woods, and continued to stare even when she doesn't come out. He doesn't hear Katniss approach him from behind and he jumps at her voice. "Why are you staring at Madge?" She asks him, puzzled.

Gale turns with an arched eyebrow, "You know her?"

Katniss nods, "Yeah. She's my lunch buddy at school." Katniss didn't exactly say it with thrill, since every student is required to have a buddy during lunch. "She's nice."

Gale wants to agree with her but doesn't. "She looks like she's from town." The young boy crosses his arm in false disgust. The older kids in the Seam always told the younger ones that townies were privileged dorks.

Katniss just shrugs in response in her usual quiet manner. "She's Mayor Undersee's daughter."

Gale paled and his stare turns into a glare. "Well that explains the _pretty dress_. " He replied with a surprising amount of venom for an eight year old. He wanted to get off the subject of the girl so he allows his frown to melt into a mischievous smirk. "You're it!" With that he runs off and Katniss gives an outraged look.

"You didn't even find me!"

* * *

About an hour later, after a few more rounds of Hide and Seek, Gale and his friends found themselves sitting in the grass just chatting and Bristel was going on about her current lesson in her Art class when movement from the woods catches Gale's eye.

It was the same girl, Madge. Gale was surprised to see that the blonde's dress wasn't even dirty from whatever activity the girl was involved in while in the woods. Gale however was more surprised by the small red pieces of fruit that now filled her wicker basket. The girl walked down the path with the same serene look on her face and he raised an eyebrow when she shared a smile with his mother who had looked up from her book when she walked by her. Gale watched the girl leave down the path away from the park towards the town. He excuses himself from his friends and runs over to his mom. "Mum?" He asked, slightly out of breath.

Hazelle Hawthorne looks up from her book again and gives her son a friendly, motherly smile. "Yes?"

"Whydidyousmileattheblondetowngirl?" He spat out without a pause. Hazelle gives an amused laugh and closes her book.

"I was being polite. That girl is Madge Undersee, the mayor's daughter. She's quite the sweet girl." Gale didn't get why his mom, an adult, had no resentment for the town people. He knew that they were the more rich families and they had the best clothes, but his mom acted like she was just the same as the people of the Seam.

"Ew. Mum. Girls are not sweet!" Gale tells his mother with an annoyed tone.

Hazelle however continues to smile, "What about Bristel and Katniss?"

"They're different."

"How?"

"MUM!"

"Honestly, Gale I thought I raised you to be accepting of all people."

"BUT SHE'S A GIRL!"

"She may be a girl but she's also a very sweet girl." Hazelle repeats her words from earlier. "Sweetie, you know she plays the piano?" She tells him, hoping to get him interested.

Gale just gives his mom a look that screamed 'so what?'

"She played the piano last year at the Christmas recital at your school. Don't you remember?" Gale didn't remember he was too busy trying to sword fight with Thom using the gigantic candy canes that they were in charge of holding. He did remember Katniss shushing them though.

Gale shakes his head and Hazelle lets out a long sigh, she stands up. "I suppose we should get home."

"But… but… but." Gale began to sputter and Hazelle places a finger to her son's lips.

"No buts. Go say goodbye to your friends."

Gale (Who wasn't very happy) began making his way towards his friends. Stupid blonde girl, he would have had more time with his friends if she hadn't distracted him, he thought. He said his goodbyes and they all promised that they would play again tomorrow after school.

* * *

The next day came quickly and school went as fast as it could for Gale. He wanted to spend more time trying to find the perfect hiding spot. It was decided that Katniss would be the seeker, seeing how she was the best at the game.

Gale ran towards the trees near the woods and nestles himself behind one of them that had the most girth. He sat there waiting for a bit, thinking about whatever came to his mind. The sound of footsteps down the path brings him out of them though and he chances a peek, expecting to see Katniss.

But it wasn't Katniss. It was the blonde girl. She had the same basket, now empty, and a white dress now donned her body. He remains hidden and watches her retreat in the woods just as she did yesterday.

He removes himself from his hiding spot in order to stand on the path just before the woods. He stares off at the area where she disappeared and once more Katniss sneaks up on him. "There you are!"

Gale jumps just as he did yesterday and he turns to give another glare. "It took you long enough." He turns back to where Madge went and Katniss steps forward to look as well.

"Madge told me that she goes in there to get strawberries practically every day now." Katniss explains plainly and Gale's young mind races over reasons why she would need to pick strawberries so much.

"She's weird." Gale states with the same disgust which makes Katniss glare.

"Don't be mean. She's my friend."

"But she's from the town!"

"Didn't your mom already tell you that don't matter?"

"No!" Gale lied.

They both continued to argue for the next minutes and they both turn at the sound of rustling bushes as Madge emerged from the woods, her basket once more full. Her calm and serene look melted at the sight of her friend and the boy.

"Oh." The blonde pauses in her steps, the first word Gale ever hears from her. Her surprised look forms into a friendly smile, "Hi Katniss and Katniss's friend." Gale notes that her voice was like bells and it makes him want to hide his face in embarrassment.

"Hey yourself, Undersee." Gale replies before Katniss has a chance to introduce the two of them, Gale turns his head so he couldn't see Madge's confused look.

"Don't mind him. He's just a stubborn mutt." Katniss tells the blonde and Madge's lips form into a smile.

"He does kind of remind me of a cute dog." Madge states her cheeks turning pink.

Gale's arms tighten as he crosses his arms, annoyed, his own cheeks turning the same shade. Katniss and Madge giggle at his reaction.

Katniss leads the attention away from him towards Madge's strawberries after they stopped giggling. "The woods still have enough berries to fill that whole basket?"

Madge nods her head and she tries not to blush as Gale's attention turns back to her. "I get them for my mom –" She pauses. "mostly."

Gale wanted to roll his eyes, "Why can't your mommy go buy them from the town store?" He didn't understand why, surely the wife of the mayor had enough money to get them there? "Better yet, why doesn't she get them herself?"

Madge quiets up and her usual serene expression turns into one of anger. "My mom likes them freshly picked!"

"Well that doesn't explain why she can't get them herself!" Gale was annoyed by her and everything involving the girl, especially since she decided to raise her voice to him.

Madge's face started to tremble, and luckily Katniss must have noticed, and being the 'lunch buddy' she was she gripped Madge's arm and signaled her to go past them.

Gale notes that her usual slow and steady pace was now a brisk walk. He smiles with triumph, he had actually 'won' against a townie. He turned to Katniss expecting to see her smiling as well, but is shocked to see her glaring at him. "What?" he asked with a timid tone.

"You're a jerk." She states bluntly.

"I am not! She's just so uptight and—" He stops, trying to think of the perfect way to describe Undersee.

"She's sweet." Katniss reminds him.

He was sure getting annoyed with people telling him that.

"KATNISS? ARE YOU COMING TO FIND US?" They both hear Bristel yell from her hiding spot. Katniss gives Gale one final glare before walking off to find their friends.

Gale started to feel a little guilty.

* * *

Madge made her way home quickly; her grip on the basket was so tight that her tiny knuckles were going white. She just met Gale Hawthorne for the first time, he was cute, but he was so mean. Katniss said that he was nice when he wanted to be, but she didn't see it. She thought back on what words she said to him, she was polite, she smiled. She couldn't think of a reason why the boy would be so hostile towards her. Perhaps he didn't like that she called him a cute dog?

Her parents had taught her that being polite was key, always be kind and others will be kind to you. Hazelle Hawthore had smiled back, but her son didn't. Her mother told her that smiles were cure for the broken.

Remembering that her mother was waiting for her Madge rushes into her home and up the stairs to her mother's room. Her mom was asleep of course; she was almost always asleep now, since about two weeks ago when her Aunt Maysilee Donner died in a fatal car wreck.

Her mom became deathly ill in response to her sister's death, and now must stay in bed while a machine feeds her body morphling, a special type of medicine. Her mother loved strawberries and she used to drive Madge and herself to the other side of the woods to pick them together, and since Madge can't drive, Madge took it upon herself to walk to the woods and pick them herself.

She wanted her mom to have a fresh basket of strawberries waiting for her when she woke up. Madge places the basket on her mother's night side table, kisses her on the cheek and retreats downstairs to play piano until her father arrives home from work at the town hall.

* * *

Madge didn't come to pick more strawberries until the next week. So much for every day, Gale thought. The boy was the only one present at the park other than the baker's son who was sat in the sandbox making surprisingly cool sandcastles.

Gale sat in the swing as he watched the young blonde, in a red dress this time, walk down the path with her stupid basket. He wanted to laugh at the familiarity to one of the fairytales his mom read to him. Gale's eyes narrow when Madge stops to talk to the baker's son. He watches her smile and laugh at some things the blonde boy says, and Gale gets a new sensation when his insides felt like they were boiling. He was very annoyed all of a sudden.

Luckily, Madge waves goodbye to the boy and she continues on her way towards the woods. Gale's lips turn up into a mischievous grin, sneaking a look at his mom who was busy with his little brother, Rory. Gale runs off to follow the blonde.

Gale remembers what his dad taught him, when trying not to alert his prey while hunting in the woods. He followed silently, careful not to step on any crunchy leaves or sticks. He watched Madge's red dress sway in the slight breeze, and he wondered just how many dresses the girl had.

Madge stops at nine large bushes of strawberries, some of the other nearby bushes seemed to be picked clean, presumably the ones she had already picked from. He watches as she places the basket on the ground and began picking the pieces of fruit off the bush and dropping them into the basket.

Gale's mischievous grin grew as an idea formed into his head; he began sneaking up behind her and with one sharp intake of air he howled— loudly like a wolf.

He couldn't have gotten a better reaction. Madge jumped so loudly that she lost her footing and stumbled over, falling on to her backside into the dirt. Gale doubled over in laughter, clutching his stomach, and his laughter picked up when he saw Madge's frightened face.

After Madge got over the initial shock of being scared she picked herself off the ground and began brushing the dirt from her dress. "That wasn't funny." She mumbled.

"Sure it was!" Gale replied still laughing. "Don't you get it? You're Little Red Riding Hood with her basket and I'm the Big Bad Wolf!" Gale began 'flexing' his eight year old arms and puffing out his chest.

Madge thought it was cute but was too annoyed at him to giggle. "I still think you're more like a cute dog." She finishes brushing her dress off and continues her work of picking berries.

At her words Gale stops trying to show off and his mood changes into one of curiosity. "So… why do you go off into the woods to pick strawberries for your mom?"

Madge shrugs in response. "We both like them." She didn't feel like explaining the whole situation to him.

It was that moment that Gale noticed the sad look on her face as she picked the strawberries, it was the exact opposite of the friendly and serene look she had when she walked through the park. He walks up to the bushes and begins picking them, his gray eyes downward.

Madge's own eyes brightened as he dropped some into the basket.

* * *

It was about thirty minutes later when they finally finished. Both kids glanced around at the now bare bushes and the wicker basket on the ground that may be a little too full.

"Your mom is going to have a lot of strawberries to eat." Gale stated the obvious.

Madge nods in agreement, and watches as Gale reaches down to pick up the basket. He was obviously trying to impress her but she could tell he was struggling to hold the berries. Blushing, she reaches one hand down and wraps her hand around one side of the basket's handle while Gale's hand wrapped around the other. "Let's carry it together?" She asks him.

Gale nods his head with a blush.

* * *

When they emerged from the woods Hazelle enveloped Gale in her arms, Rory wrapped around her leg. "GALE HAWTHORNE! WHERE DID YOU GO? I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAPPENED I—"

Gale struggled to keep hold of the basket and he saw Madge giggling in the corner of his eye, so he interrupted his mom mid-rant. "Ma, I just wanted to help Madge with her strawberries."

Hazelle's expression softened at Gale's confession and she smiled down at the blonde. "Well I'm glad you finally decided to see that Madge is a very sweet girl."

Madge smiled at the compliment. Gale gripped the basket a little tighter, "Mum, can we help Madge lug these berries to her house? They're for her mum." Gale pleaded with his mom.

Hazelle didn't need much convincing, she grabbed Rory's hand. "Alright, but when we get home, we're having a long talk about running off without telling me." As they walked; Hazelle stayed behind the pair and her heart warmed at the sight of her son helping the blonde girl.

* * *

They arrived at Madge's home, and the pair gently set the basket down. "I think I can handle taking them inside." Madge smiled at the boy she had grown fond of over the course of the day. "Thank you for helping me."

Gale blushed and just nodded in response. "I really do think you have a pretty dress… and face." He mumbled quietly.

Madge wants to giggle again, but instead she leans forward and kisses his cheek. "See you soon, Gale." She tells him before entering her house.

Gale's blush intensifies and he glances over at his mom who is smiling very brightly. "You guys are so cute!" Hazelle gushes.

Gale blushes even more and places one of his small hands over where Madge kissed him. "Let's just go home." He says quickly. He doesn't rub the kiss off, as he's too busy learning what the feeling of 'butterflies in your stomach' really meant.

* * *

The next day Gale waited with Katniss at the park, for when Madge would arrive, but he doesn't tell Katniss this, she'd never let him live down the fact that Madge kissed him. He was growing agitated that the blonde hadn't made her way down the path yet in a hopefully new dress that he would admire.

"Well she wasn't at school today." Katniss concluded. "Maybe she's sick?"

"Maybe…" Gale trailed off worried.

* * *

After Katniss went home, Gale begged his mom if they could visit Madge in town. Hazelle, thinking it was cute, agreed, so they walked into town, and the sight that they saw wasn't cute at all.

Hazelle Hawthorne quickly pulled her son behind her as she brought a hand to her mouth in shock. A fireman came over to them and explained to Hazelle that Madge's mother's machine had caught fire early this morning. The fire spread throughout the house and that no one had survived as the whole home burnt to the ground. Hazelle nodded her head grimly wanting to cry, she turned around to see her son. Gale was gripping her pants tightly while keeping his head down.

She picked him up in her arms and began to walk away from the scene. She finally let out a sob when her baby boy began shaking in her arms.

Gale silently wished she was wearing a pretty dress in heaven.

* * *

**A/N: Don't kill me.**


End file.
